The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has announced the appointment of consultants for a new three-month research scheme that will assess the value of privacy protection.
Under the project, Watson Hall and John Leach Information Security will create a "comprehensive business case for investing in proactive privacy protection" by examining the processes involved, how information systems are procured and the role of personal information handled by organizations in both the public and private sectors.
According to Jonathan Bamford, Assistant Commissioner at the ICO, the consultants will draw together "a wide range of views" through a variety of techniques.
"Data protection needs to be taken as seriously as health and safety at all levels in an organization," he declared.
In related news, the ICO recently served Enforcement Notices against 14 construction companies that were found to have breached the Data Protection Act by obtaining personal information relating to employees and job applicants.
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